1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multifunction apparatus that includes a plurality of functions including a copier function.
2. Description of Related Art
A multifunction apparatus having a plurality of functions such as printer, copier, scanner, facsimile, and e-mail functions has become common. When copying a large volume of paper or transmitting such a volume via facsimile using a memory on the multifunction apparatus, the user often leaves the multifunction apparatus prior to completing the copying or the memory transmission job in order to work on other projects. The user can effectively work if it is possible to find out when the job (copying, memory transmission, etc.) is completed even at a remote location (e.g., user's desk) away from the multifunction apparatus.
Conventionally, a system and a method for notifying job operation status has been introduced, the system and method enabling a host computer to accurately check operation status and completion of an image input/output apparatus (e.g., Related Art 1). When there is a job request made from the host computer, core section 10 of the image input/output apparatus (e.g., multifunction copier) generates a unique job ID for each job. When the job information at the printer or the like changes, the job information along with the job ID is transmitted to the host computer.
[Related Art 1] Japanese Patent Laid Open Application H11-143651
The conventional job completion notification method had the following shortcomings. When a client computer requests a job to a multifunction apparatus, the job completion notification can be transmitted back to the client computer. However, when the user instructs a job (copying, memory transmission, etc.) by directly setting a document on the multifunction apparatus, the job completion notification cannot be sent back to the user.